I found a cute video with a nice message

on God Tube. If you liked Tom and Jerry as a kid take another look. Someone made some great edits.




Here is another video that says I can't Give up now

Should we tell her????

A few months ago my husband and I entered a hospital elevator. The couple that followed behind us were talking in hushed tones. Finally the wife discreetly came up to me and whispered, "Your shirt is on inside out".When I thanked her for saving me future embarrassment her husband told us the situation had been a dilemma to him. He had seen my shirt first and didn't know what to do. He worried I might get angry with him for interfering or get so embarrassed I'd cry. He didn't know what to do so he asked his wife who he hoped would know whether a woman would want to be told about such a matter. Thankfully his wife knew that most women would want the mistake corrected immediately. Truthfully it was a little embarrassing. I'm not a morning person, but my fathers condition and his doctors early bedside rounds made it necessary for us to get up at the crack of dawn and be on our way. I'd already seen my fathers doctor, talked to his nurse and walked the hospital hallways before the revelation of my plight was revealed to me. My dear husband hadn't noticed. Have you ever had a similar dilemma? Either position is difficult. We've all had to ask ourselves "should we tell them" in regard to clothing problem or perhaps an attitude problem. I know we must guard against unproductive criticism, but there are times when we should alert someone or be alerted to situations where an issue may cause problems. In my story I was the one who was in need of discrete revelation. Being told by a stranger about my shirt embarrassed me a little...but the alternative would have increased my embarrassment because we had a full day of appointments. We may not always like "being told" something but we can certainly listen and see if God is speaking through the messenger. Remember....The Holy Spirit can direct you...and let you know "if you should tell" and if you should "accept what is said as valid" We don't have to have "egg on our face" if we will listen to the voice of God in our life..remember sometimes that voice comes through a human tongue.

Our dog Scooter is a hero (M)

Marcy, our overweight little Daschund, loves to burrow under blankets, coats, or anything warm. A few nights ago. I had on a housecoat with oversized sleeves. I got hot and threw the housecoat on the couch where Marcy sleeps. When we went to bed Marcy had burrowed under the housecoat and was happily sleeping. About 2:30 a.m. Scooter, our senior citizen Daschund, knocked down the gate we keep by the bedroom (Scooter usually barks about 5:00a.m and we let them in with us for a little while before we get up) John heard her collar rub against the bed. She was shaking and upset. He called for Marcy and when she didn't come he went to look for her. She had gotten stuck in one of the sleaves and couldn't even bark...her breathing was labored and she was in a panic. Praise God for Scooter's quick thinking and willingness to knock down the barrier to our bedroom to get help for her little Marcy. Needless to say, we will not be leaving anything with sleeves where Marcy can get herself into another bad situation.

Don't miss a revelation of God just because you've heard it before

My sister visited a few weeks ago. We had a wonderful time of fellowship and she got to spend time with our Dad. One morning we were alone and began to talk about more than surface stuff. She began to say some things that had truth and revelation, things that could begin to change things if I listened. The problem that occured was "I knew all about what she was saying," Sometimes when we've walked with the Lord for a while, when we've studied the Word of God we can get to the place where we know the teaching that can help set us free...but in a weird way because we know it so well we miss out on really hearing it.

As I listened to my sister I could confirm everything she was saying...indeed I'd taught it to others, and I'd even lived it out in situations in my life. Yet God was reminding me through her that I needed to get back to basics. You see you can know something, you can even have walked the path previously, but in the now be having trouble implimenting it.

When the Holy Spirit speaks to you through the Word, through your spirit, a message, or through a godly friend don't miss the message through familiarity.

Maybe today you are going through somethings that are painful or troubling. The Holy Spirit desires to speak to you today. He wants us to be open to listen to Him and to what He has to say. Remember this:

1. God leads us in our everyday life. The Word says, "My sheep hear My voice" We can be lead of God. Jesus desires to us to allow His leading in our life. He does not abandon us...We've been given the Holy Spirit who leads us into all truth.

2. There could be something so simple, something you already know that could be an answer to your current cirucmstance. I almost missed the words that would set me free...because instead of listening I was tempted to simply spout my "expertise" on the subject. What turned it around was the gentle spirit of the Lord speaking in my heart. "Ruth, you need this...truth to become alive again....listen afresh for the things you are facing in the NOW."

3. Expect to be lead by the Spirit. The Word says in Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.KJV and in Psalm 37:5 Commit your way to the LORD,Trust also in Him,And He shall bring it to pass.NKJV God still speaks in the 21rst Century to men and women who are willing to trust Him. The Holy Spirit lives within those who have accepted Jesus Christ. We have the joy of knowing that it is His desire to teach us all things and to help us walk the path of our life in a way that will bring about life and life more abundantly.

My oldest son is twenty years old today

I'm looking forward to talking to my son Al later today when he gets home from work. He and his wife live out west as he is in the Airforce.

Time certainly stops for no man. To steal a phrase from my father, "Seems like yesterday" he was just born. It was Mother's Day and we thought his arrival was a few weeks away. We had some nice things planned for Sunday Service for all of the mothers, but it ended up that all our plans had to be postponed. I couldn't sleep throughout the night. I didn't have pain persay, but I was uncomfortable. We had prayed that I wouldn't have pain...and that was basically answered...yet I had no trouble understanding it was time to go. We called our parents (both sets lived about an hour away at the time) and went to the hospital. Well we didn't go straight to the hospital. My darling husband ever responsible couldn't get ahold of a few parishioners by phone to tell them church would be canceled so we went around town to tell them first. I was NOT HAPPY about that. I admit I YELLED at him.

When we arrived the kindly nurse saw I wasn't in great pain and thought I'd be several hours and so she didn't examine me. She told us, "Your doctor is in church. so we won't disturb her...okay." Meanwhile..I couldn't get comfortable and to make matters worse they put a machine on me to determine how far apart the contractions were and they wouldn't let me walk . I remember John and I were in the room alone with the nurse just outside....I said I've got to push...and like a flash she was there and determined I was ready to have the baby at any moment and my doctor still had not been called. Turns out Al was in a little distress and the birth had to happen quickly. Thankfully, within 10 minutes the Doctor arrived and we were on our way. Since I didn't have a lot of pain they told me...Okay your having a contraction it is time to push. So at 12:29 a.m. , about the time church would normally end, Al was born.

Meanwhile my Mother had arrived at the hospital asking for me...and accidently using my maiden name....only to be told there was no one by that name at the hospital. She finally came to herself in time to see me being wheeled from the delivery room. She rushed to the nursery where she was able to hold Al before John and anyone else....a fact she recalled with glee for years to come. John's folks were also on hand and thrilled at the new arrival. My Mom in law stayed and helped us for a little while after everyone else left.

Anyway...it is nice to remember. Both my boys are a treasure...and I know God will not forget that we raised them the best we could in the knowledge of the Lord. God will not have His Word return void.

You are not alone

Recently I entered a period of strong prayer due to things we've been going through. I"ve declared the Word of God, been thankful for the things God has promised, studied the Word...and best of all enjoyed His Presence.... all good things. Thing is just a few nights ago some more things popped up and I"ve was sort of a coach potatoe concerning prayer for awhile. I began to panic a little because I hadn't been as active as I had before the latest hit. All sorts of thoughts began to pour through my mind. "Your behind now....lost ground... and situations will not be what they should be..." Fear based things that the enemy loves to pass in front of your mind. I'd been pondering a wonderful Scripture before that...and Praise God for it. Romans 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.NKJV Well some of my feelings have been like groanings and I haven't known exactly what to pray. When those thoughts began to try to take over the Word of God rose up in me. I believe the Lord explained to me;

• The Spirit prays according to the will of the Father especially when I'm down or when I'm uncertain about how to pray. Yes, it is important that I pray and that I know the Word, but results don't happen simply because "I'm up to pare or because I do everything right"
• It is not all about my work....He loves me The Spirit knows the will of the Father. He prays for me and uplifts me. What a comfort.
• I'm reminded through the Spirit that Jesus is my advocate. That's another Scripture....but it's the Spirit who reminds me. Jesus will never leave me or forsake me. He leads my prayer...He makes me strong in the midst of weakness because it is He who prays through my groanings.
• Peace comes through the knowledge of my comforter and advocate so that I'm able to hear His voice and join in prayer.

Tears in a bottle

Psalms 56:8 "....put thou my tears into thy bottle:.." KJV
It's been a roller coaster of emotions lately with many things happening in my family. As a matter of fact many people I know and trust to pray things through are going through circumstances right now. Yesterday my sil reminded me of the Scripture where David talked about God putting our tears in a bottle. I realized that God sees, knows and feels what I'm going through. We have a High Priest, the Bible tells us in Hebrews 4:15, who understands and is touched by the things that happen to us. I drew a picture of a bottle with water in it almost to the brim...I had tears still falling in it...and I labeled those things I was crying about.Here is what God revealed and reminded me of as I chewed on the Word of God.

• 
  God See's. Remember Rahab. When she fled from Sarai the Angel of the Lord came. She called the Lord, "The God Who Sees" He sent her back to Sarai and told her to submit herself to her...yet he let her know that there was a plan for her life and that of her son. God is not blind to our circumstances. Sometimes we feel as if we will be crushed under the weight of what we are carrying. He cares and if we listen to His voice and obey He acts on our behalf even when we can't see everything that lies beyond the corner.
• 
  Don't drown in your tears. Drawing the picture was very therapeutic for me....it sealed the truth of God's love and concern. However, the Spirit prodded me further than that wonderful truth. If I camped on this point alone as wonderful as it is to feel and know the comfort of the Lord...I'd be tempted to get into the place where the tears would loose their meaning. Tears can be part of the healing process, part of a season of prayer, and even part of worship...but staying in tears can lead to a spirit of defeat rather than victory. For instance, a child who comes home crying with a scrape goes to his mother who dresses the wound (sometimes even if a band aide isn't really needed) she kisses the child and says, "All better". Usually when I followed that procedure with my boys....they'd happily go out and play again. They knew I loved them, they knew I fixed the problem (stopped the bleeding, cleaned the wound, put a band aide on it), that I'd be there should they need anything further, and that I'd declared, "All better" Admittedly sometimes the scrape still hurts..but delaying getting back into life's activity prolongs the pain by keeping our focus on the injury.
• 
  Run with purpose. We all have seasons when tears fall freely before the Lord. Issues that we must talk to him about...circumstances that we need guidance about....and times of reassurance of His love and tenderness. These times are what can propel us to his purpose...if we like a child receive his love and go forward in confidence.

Cleaning away things that hold you back

Last week I had to clean up a mess that got out of hand because of my own negligence. You may have noticed my cute little Dashounds picture. The red one is Marcy named after my Mother (btw it was my Mom's wish for me to name this special dog after her) and Scooter is our older girl. We have a small front yard where they go "potty" The winters in upstate NY can get very cold...but nonetheless most years I go out weekly and pick up the mess. This year...though I had lots of things on my mind that took precedence over this task. We've experienced some things that have been difficult. They'd "go" and then it would snow and cover the mess with a nice layer of white. Though I'd think about the need to clean up what I knew was underneath; the cover of snow helped me forget the truth. We'd have times where the snow would begin to melt and I'd see it...and lament about what a yucky job it was going to be now! Snow would come again and I'd rejoice. However, when the weather got even colder our older dog Scooter (the black one in the picture) started using the sidewalk because she didn't want to get her pads wet in the snow. So I had to clean that part up...it could only go so long and I'm sure the mail man would probably get upset. Now that I think about it....folks that know us probably thought ..."What is up with them...they don't usually let this pile up into such a mess?" I awoke from my stupor about a week ago and rolled up my sleeves and cleaned the smelly mess ---armed with plastic gloves and scooper. The grass will need to be re-seeded this spring as a result. We have a few weeks of winter left and it snowing even today ...I must still be diligent not to let a cover of snow make me forget what lies beneath. Later as I looked at the clean yard and sidewalk, I thought about how when there was a mess my sweet little dogs had to step in it and surely they had brought some of it inside on their paws. What I'd allowed to pile up outside had effects inside. Here is what God spoke to me about the mess.

• 
  He understands my hurts and desires to heal them....but neglect of everyday things create a big mess.



• 
  Natural things are a picture of spiritual things. We can sometimes loose focus or walk in circumstances so much that we allow our spiritual walk to become a mess with things that need to be cleaned.



• 
  Covering up a mess doesn't make it go away. Sometimes there are steps we must take...maintence even that we must attend to in both our natural and spiritual lives.

They say, "Where is your God?"

David pours out his heart within him while his enemies taunt him saying..."Where is your God?" Have you ever felt like every thing has been poured out of you? The taunts of people or circumstances yelling in your ear..."Where is your God, now?" Psalms 42 shows his reaction.

Admitting that his tears have stained his pillow, and that his enemies look on him as abandoned by God, he is grieving....Yet he pours out his soul within in him. He looks to the future and speaks to his own soul....

Verse 5
5 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.KJV

I invite you today like King David to speak praise...and hope and help from the face of God. You may feel silly at first. Your mind will cry out....but it is opposite of what is happening in my life. Remember God is a God that changes circumstances. He is worthy of our trust and hope. David had to pull himself out of pit...a pit that the enmey of our soul used others to put him into. It was worse than a literal prision, because depression loosed to bring loss of confidence in God's trustworthyness could have caused him to miss God's Salvation. The Prision break is before us, the doors swing open not when things change, but when we lift our head to trust and hope in Jesus.

Getting Back in the Saddle

Getting Back in the Saddle
It’s been over a week since I’ve posted on the blog. Last week was really rough and we are still reeling from some family issues that we must discern and deal with correctly. Sometimes when you’ve taken a hit it is easy to veer off the path that God has you walking upon if we aren’t careful.
I’ve felt the gentle nudge to write again and to allow the Holy Spirit to take some of the load of my burden from me. Trying to carry it alone can be unbearable and overwhelming. A Scripture has been ministering to me during this time. Perhaps it will be a blessing to you too. 1 Peter 5:7 “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. “KJV I still have my moments of despair…yet His presence lifts my head to experience the joy of the Lord.

• 
  Casting in this verse means “to throw”. The other day I was talking to my Mother in law and expressed the burden of my heart. It helped as she listened and told me that she loved me and cared. Soon afterward as the Lord brought this verse to me…I envisioned myself throwing my burden at the feet of Jesus. He truly cares with deep concern reaching into my brokenness with a healing balm. The situation in the natural is still the same, but the Word promises….”I am watching over My Word to perform it.” Jeremiah 1:12 Healing can begin even before things change when I know that He’s there.
• 
  Burdens can sting the heart, place a heavy load on your soul, and distract you from the call and purposes of God. Last week in the midst of pain God separately spoke to John and I through prophetic voice at a conference we attended about a new anointing. Really it was a confirmation of things He already been speaking to us about. My spirit received the word, but at the same time wondered why He didn’t speak to the problem. “Walk on“, I hear the Spirit of God say. “Don’t be distracted and trust Me for the manifestation of your answer.”

What are you saying?

Last night John and I went out to dinner with our son Joshua. We were making conversation on the way and he told us something interesting he'd learned. He blurted out from the back seat, "Did you know that it is not illegal to listen to someone elses cell phone conversations and the police do not need a wiretap to do it?" My interest was peaked so I asked how you would listen to a conversation...and found out that a scanner or cb can pick up the radio waves of a cell or cordless phone. It got me thinking. After dinner someone called me and got going on a conversation as I held our cordless home phone. The Bible is filled with words which tell us that we can do great damage with the small member of our body called the tongue. The phone conversation went a direction where I had a choice....say a few choice words about someone else...or becareful and watchful of what I said. Fresh from my conversaton with Joshua the Holy Spirit was even more able to speak to my heart in an area that I've been working on for a long time. Whether or not someone happens to be listening on a scanner or cb we know God hears every word. Ask yourself this...if the person you are talking about had a scanner and they happened to "pick-up" your words about them would you be pleased with what they are hearing from your mouth? Here are some things that may help us in the battle of being careful with our words. Let's ask ourselves how we can best use our words. Remember the wireless phones are no place to start.

• Do you want your words scattered? Words scatter in more ways than one. Though you may repent you cannot completly catch where your words go. Your feelings of anger and dismay may have long subsided, but expressing your "feelings" to the wrong person may leave scars that you didn't anticipate upon reputations.

• The need to talk to someone about feelings and issues. Sometimes we do indeed need someone to bounce off our feelings and ideas. However, we cannot deny that Biblically our speech is important and gossip and backbiting are not things a Christian should be engaged in at all. Talk first to the Lord about the issue. The Holy Spirit knows all things and is able to give us a right perspective. He is even able to calm our emotion and set us on the right path. If you do choose to talk to another person (and sometimes we do need that contact) examine why you are talking and who you are talking to.

• Can the person you are talking to help you. Many times when we are hurt and angry we run straight for people who will take our side and be upset right along with us. Though this may temporarily make us feel better it is not always healthy. Sometimes when ministering to a hurt person at first it is wise to listen and let them know you care. Later however, bringing into perspective both sides of the issue and reminding the person of the love walk of Scripture is essential. While it may feel good to commiserate with someone who will not require you to examine yourself and the issue, doing so puts you in a position of taking on unforgiveness and bitterness. Also is sure to scatter words that you may later regret. How much better to talk to someone who cares enough about you to help you take a look at the entire situation and who will encourage you to walk in love as Jesus taught. Talk to someone who can talk. That right person is never a gossip, and that person is one who is willing to is not afraid to help us look into the mirror of the Word.

Betya are going to think twice about phone conversations. Go a step farther and think about every conversation.

Guard Your Heart

The stores are filled with Valentine hearts and gifts getting ready for the big day February 14. Couples young and old will mark the day with romantic dinners, roses, and chocolate hearts. Those are all great things that I love to participate in with my husband. We all know love is so much more than one dayof the year. Biblically our heart is more than a holiday or a pretty valentine. It consist of our intellect, our will and even our feelings. Proverbs 4:2323 tells us, " Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life."KJV The word keep here means to guard , to protect and maintain. Wow! Did you realize that God expects us to maintain our thoughts. The reason is clear our thought life determines the direction of our life and if we are not careful and diligent we will be led a way we didn't intend down a path that is destructive instead of productive. So in this season when we are enjoying the beauty of romance and boxes of every size shaped like hearts and filled with chocolate lets consider our real heart.

Here are some heart issues for us to examine. Let's be transparent before our God.

1. We serve a God who binds up the broken hearted. Psalms 147:3

Who among us hasn't needed to run to the Father with a broken heart knowing that he will lift our head and proclaim we are His child. When we try to handle heart break on our own we fall short and our heart becomes a bit harder with each seeming insult. It gets to the place where we cannot allow others to really know us because we are constantly defending ourself against hurt. People in our life are paying the price for things that happened long ago. When we come into His presence and allow Him to heal our wound...pour forth His love on us...we go forth healed and ready to meet the world with His viewpoint. We'll talk more about this in future post

2. Some times our thoughts need an overhaul.
The Bible is filled with words about our mind. It is easy to understand the spirituality of such things as reading the Bible, going to church and serving God, but controlling our thoughts is something that Christians sometimes neglect. Some years ago the Holy Spirit began to talk to me about how my thought life was directly related to my feelings and my actions. If I entertained a spirit of unforgiveness and continued to ponder all of the unjustices I felt had been done to me, for example, my actions would lean towards self justification and refusal to see my part in an issue. The Bible tells us to renew our mind with the Word of God. Wouldn't it be nice if this were a one time alter call experience? Renewing the mind is a daily process...determining to align our thougths to agree with the Word of God. The most recent change in a thought pattern with John and I is our attitude toward savings. We've always seen the good in savings, but somehow convinced ourselves that it wasn't possible. Many folks are in the same position with their income being spent before the paycheck is signed. Anybody can allow a false thought to reign. The Word says that a person who spends all that he has is acting the fool. So we decided no matter how small we wanted to obey the Lord. There are always temptations to go back to old way...the old familar way, but going forward in obedience means embracing God's thoughts not ours. What thought pattern do you feel the Lord addressing in your life?

Refusing destructive thoughts

The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 10:5 "Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;"KJV It all may seem a little overwhelming at first, but we are not alone. The Holy Spirit is our teacher. It is not okay to let any thought continue to have access to our mind. It is not a sin for a thougth to cross your mind....but we are responsible for what we allow to linger and become part of our mindset. To some this may be a new concept. The Scripture in Proverbs tells us to be diligent and to "guard" our heart...our mind, will and emotions. It means that sometimes when we find ourselves pondering a thought that does not line up with God's Word we must refuse to continue to "think that thought" It won't always be easy...sometimes the we will have to refuse the thought more than once because we are used to the pattern....it can be rather like trying to stop an addiction. Thankfully, we don't do this alone...the Lord is with us. We are used to hearing about God's part....but here we see we have a part in whether or not we experience God's peace and security, based upon what we think upon. What we think about will eventually come out in an action. Examine your thougths today...and determine to guard your heart.

Transparency

Many of us have heard the Dr. Philism “You can’t change what you won’t admit” Recently a friend decided to be transparent before the Lord. She opened herself up to see things in her life and walk with Him that needed repair. She striped down the layers that so often cover our perspective of ourselves and was willing to look at the picture as God and others view it. I squirmed in my chair a little as I saw her openness. As a pastor/pastors wife it is exactly what I would advocate anyone do before the Lord , yet it made me uncomfortable because it brought me to a place of understanding that there are areas where I’ve pulled the wool over my own head. True openness before God means facing things that need to be fixed in your life. My friends willingness to be so open before God has had me thinking all week. Here are something’s I believe the Lord would speak to us if we are to be real with Him.

We can’t hide from God

If you’ve ever watched Dr. Phil or Joyce Meyers and thought they are extremely probing in their desire to get a person to face themselves realize God is even more so. The reason for this is His great love towards us and His desire to see His plan unfold in our life.

Mindset determines our actions

Many of us say we desire change, but change requires a new mindset. The Bible tells us we must renew our mind to line up with the Word of God. If we are not convinced of the necessity of something we will continue down the same path we are traveling. We can easily get a holier than thou attitude because we line up with doctrinal standards while God may very well be looking more toward our character.

Taking a hard look at ourselves can be painful

We often recoil at taking a look at our thoughts, our actions, or our words. Looking at these things reveal the condition of our lives. It forces us to see ourselves as others see us with all our faults and need.

God is our source of help and healing

Arguably there are many sources in the world to help a person face the issues of their life. However, we serve a God who is able to take our mess and bring healing. He is to be our source above all others..as He is our Maker. When we willingly allow the Holy Spirit to show us who and what we are, when we see that picture and ask for His help…There are no limits to the efforts God will go to to bring restoration to our soul. We place ourselves in His hands, admitting all, renewing our mind to His mind, and walk in newness of life.

Reward

The reward of facing ourselves and allowing it to change our perspective and our actions is that our tomorrow changes. The destruction that could have been is swallowed up in the goodness of God bringing about a New Day in our life.

Mike Huckabee on the imporatance of Godtube in the Election

It is very important to get to know the issues and get out the vote. Be a part of Election 2008 and believe God to give you wisdom. Take a minute and do the election poll on Godtube.com http://www.godtube.com/election/

Disappointment

Have you ever wondered if God left the building? Have you ever been standing in faith and believing His promises, yet seemingly the heavens pass you by. Tempted to give into a spirit of disappointment with God though you’d never admit it was so. As I read the Psalms I see that there were times King David, a man of war, this man after God’s own heart did battle with questions about things going on around him too. No other book I’ve read pulls at the emotions of the heart with cries for answers and help in time of need. Some today would say that to have questions is to disrespect the King of Kings. David would disagree. These questions and times of wonderment, became avenues of drawing upon the unchanging faithfulness of God. His praise even in affliction upon His bed led him to the throne room of God. The Word says we can come boldly into the great throne room of heaven laying down our burden and thrusting our trust upon His faithfulness. The temptation is there however, if let unchecked, in these times to build resentment instead of building faith and listening for direction. The temptation is there to forget that God is the author of a good plan---we falsely label God as the author of evil that befalls people instead of the true source. We serve a God who is greater than any work of the enemy. David cried out with emotion the needs and dire circumstances that befell him. He shared the things that were unjust…yet he refused to stay in that pleading state of mind. Even upon his bed, he began to proclaim the faithfulness of the Lord. He made a conscience decision to declare the works of the Lord. Basically he was calling those things which were not (in the natural) as though they were. He knew the faithfulness of God as well as the plan of God and declared it instead of the obvious bad news. When you are in the midst of disappointment you have a choice when feelings assail you. What do you do with those waves of emotion and those thoughts? It is in these dark times like those King David faced, we must call upon the faithfulness of God even when in the natural we do not see it. We declare the works of the Lord, sing upon our bed, encourage ourselves in the Lord. What are you declaring? God is a healer, God is a help in times of trouble, God is able to provide. Declare those truths in your heart when every emotion tares at you….declare His word

Run for your lives

Tonight John and I were recalling a camping trip when our eldest son was about 5 and our youngest around 3 years old. We were in a cabin that had a nice fire place. John had went to get supplies while I stayed with the boys. All of a sudden Al saw something in the fire that frightened him. He screamed, “Run for your lives” I scooped up Joshua, and Al and I ran for our lives. Turns out the fire had simply crackled and gotten a little big so we weren’t in any danger. Despite the false alarm when ever I think of that moment when in his child’s mind we were in trouble and he acted to protect us it is very precious to me. Daddy was away and so he took the lead. Al has always been a protector. He protected little kids from bullies, he made sure his Grandmothers pills were right, and his teachers always said he was willing to help others anyway he could. I know that now that he has started a family of his own that he would do anything to protect and serve. He is motivated by love. Yes, I’m biased…I think my boys are wonderful. It reminds me of the protection of God. Jesus declared He will never leave or forsake us. He looks out for our interest and He truly knows every danger that seeks to destroy us. Jesus warns us urges us today to come under his protection. Don’t go it alone, seek His face and allow yourself to come under the shelter of His wings. He has made provision for our protection from the storm. Al is 19 and he’s taken a bit of teasing over his frantic call to “Run for your lives” those years ago, but truly God gave him the heart of a protector. You are safe in the arms of God if you choose to come dwell under His protection.

Psalm 91

You can't give more than you have!

We've all heard the sermons on the importance of putting the Word in our hearts and acting it out. When we accept Jesus into our heart the fruit of the spirit is within us, but we must learn to yield to the works of the Spirit. We learn this by choosing in everyday life to act upon the Word of God. Today, I had been in prayer and feeling pretty good. All of a sudden I ran into a predicament with an opportunity to get involved into strife based on someone elses frustration. The flesh rolled up within me wanting to react and throw back demeaning remarks. Isn't it funny we can be in a place of prayer one minute and when the real world hits us we still have to make a choice. Thing is without the Word and without the time with Jesus we have little to draw from in these times. I was upset...spoke my little piece ("...this is your frustration, not mine...I didn't do anything") and then was able to come back with..."I've been frustrated before---I understand how annoying it can be" "The Bible says, "a soft answer turns away wrath" There are many ways that the enemy of our souls tries to bring destruction to us and to precious relationships. I'm not advocationg that we roll over and play dead....Just that if we don't have it within us to see things from God's perspective then we will act out our own impulses and miss out on what God has for us and others. Tonignt I"m looking at family pictures and the Lord has reminded me of circumstances where the enemy ment destruction....but someone in the family trusted God and walked in love despite the actions of loved ones who were walking in anger, fear or frustration. Those faithful people made all of the difference in our family history. That didn't happen because my family is any better than other Chrsitian families. It came because through our mistakes and hurt feelings and wrong choices we learned a better way for future circumstances. Just when yu think you've learned it all another circumstance comes and you are faced with a choice that requires you to draw from the Word and presence of God that you've placed in your heart. Thank God for Grace...the grace of God, the Grace of friends and family, and most of all for the wells of Salvation.

What are you storing up in your spirit that will help you yield to the fruit of the spirit?

I know I've rambled tonight...hope it makes a little sense.

Do everything with Gusto

A few months ago Jessie Duplantis wrote an article about doing your best for God. It’s been ringing in my ear since then. We took our boys to Cub Scouts and that motto was quoted and instilled into them each meeting. A look at the requirements for an animal sacrificed to God in the Old Testament shows that God desires our very best. You see if a person had sheep and was going to make a sacrifice to God it couldn’t be one that was lame, blind, or defective. It had to be the best. Another words it shouldn’t be the one that the sheep farmer didn’t mind losing anyway because it wouldn’t help his profit margin. It had to be something that was the best of his breading stock. In my first real reads through the Bible the point went right over my head and I wondered why God would be prejudice against handicapped sheep. Praise God for His patience and revelation to us. Paul tells to do whatever we do with gusto for the Lord. Lately I’ve been praying for passion for my boys and the other church kids. I’m believing God to do a work beyond measure in their lives. Yet since I’ve prayed this prayer the Holy Spirit has begun to ask me “pesky questions” concerning my own passion to do things to the best of the ability He‘s given me. It’s not about being a perfectionist…in the sense of not enjoying life along the way. The questions the Holy Spirit has asked me is about whether or not I’m doing the things God has put in my care with the attitude of giving my best. My youngest is in 12th grade and is taking mid-terms this week. He desires to do his best. Today is Wednesday and for years we’ve had cell group meeting at my house. Recently we moved it somewhere else. Though my home would never grace a magazine for its decor the Holy Spirit prodded me…do the clean up you’d usually do for Wednesday group…give you best for your family and for me. He’s speaking to me about other things as well…do it with gusto.
What is one specific thing that you can improve upon by doing it whole heartedly? Care to read Jessie Duplantis article http://jdm.org/jdmdefault.aspx?tabindex=-1&tabid=62&articleBy=2008 “While on Earth Let’s give God our Best” I have it set to the magazine. Scroll to page four. Thoughts?

Feeding your Hunger

Last night I wrote about having a hunger for God. It reminded me of a childhood story that my folks loved to re-tell. When I was little we lived near Senaca Lake in the Finger Lakes region. Mom and Dad had heard about a restaurant near the lake that was having a smorgasbord (all you can eat buffet) that had all sorts of good things to eat. We didn't go out to eat all of the time, so this was a big event. The meal was going to be good and the price was right. Mom and Dad prepared our hunger...after school the usual snack was forgone...so we didn't ruin our appetite. They showed us a brochure with pictures of the selections and the pretty scenery around the lake. We were hyped for the whole experience. Alas, after all the preperation Mom and Dad realized that they had gotten the night mixed up and the restarurant was closed the evening we went. We ended up at a little dive eating hamburgers and french fries. Thankfully, my folks had the presence of mind not to let disappointment ruin the night....we had a wonderful time laughing at the mistake. I'm glad there is never a wrong time to set our hunger toward God. There have been times when I realy didn't feel particularly hungry in the natural ---but the desire came at the smell of food, seeing a Burgur King commercial, or by sitting down with friends over a small snack. Sometimes we must feed our hunger for God. The Word says "taste and see the Lord is good". You may be saying, "Yeah, I know...read the word, go to church, pray.....yada, yada, yada." God says that when we taste we will want to taste more. Is there a topic you are interested in learning?....find a Chrisitan book or , sermon series about it. Is there a certain music type that speaks to your heart? Go to the Christian bookstore and find that type of music. Having trouble reading the Word...ask God to show you wonderful things from his word. Feed your Spirit. Invest in yourself...with godly pursuits and when you go to church you will find yourself getting more out of worship, praise and the preaching of the Word. Hey now, we spend money and time on entertainment....lets invest in our walk with God. Tell me, How do you feed your spirit?

Hungry?

Are you hungry? It is 12:00 a.m. and I have to work tomorrow. I should be in bed sound asleep. I will be shortly. I've been listening to teaching on fasting which is a discipline that I have practiced to some degree and have increased in last year. Just thinking about it has made me feel physically hungry. I am fighting the urge to raid the fridge even as I write this post. The Holy Spirit began to talk to me about being hungry for Him. Jesus said that those who hunger and thrist after Him shall be filled. Many Christians have experienced dry times myself included. Jesus declared He is the bread of life...our daily manna. I say to the LORD this early morning that my hunger for him is greater than the fridge, it is greater than desire for TV time, and it is great (ah....Lord make it so) greater than my computer time, greater than any relationship and indeed it helps my most precious relationships become fonder and more loving. When I'm dry my heart can still drink from the well of Salvation....feelings are not my guide....when I'm hungry I reach up for the heavenly manna and eat that which Jesus provides in His Word and through the Holy Spirit. If I thirst and don't drink....the result is more dryness....If I hunger after God but push that hunger aside with the click of a channel changer than my hunger is not fulfilled. I go to bed without the desired trip to the fridge, but with the presence of the Holy Spirit that feeds my soul and brings refreshing like a cool drink.

Are you hungry for God? What are you feeding yourself?
Are you thirsty for God? What are you drawing from the wells of Salvation?

I have a dream ----What is your character

January 21, 2008 : Martin Luther King Day,

Earlier today after church my husband and I talked to our son , Joshua about his plans since there is no school on Martin Luther King Day. He'll be working and studying for midterms. I got wondering if sometimes special days slip by as just an extra day off without thought about what the day means. I began to think about Kings famous "I have a dream speech" and one line resounded in my spirit. " I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character." I ask myself black, white, yellow, whatever color we are....looking to the truth of this statement would we be satisfied with the judgment of our character. I don't talk of legalistic rules that bind us and take our freedom from us, but I talk of choosing to do that wihich is right in God's eyes. I'm talking about choosing to walk in intergrity rather than the easy way which selfishly chooses that which helps our cause regardless of the effects on others. If people judged us upon our character would they find us honest and hardworking? Would they find us growing in the fruit of the Spirit and walking in the character of God? What steps are you taking this year to improve your godly character. What changes would you have to make if truly others judged us by our character rather than something as superficial as our color.
Listen to the whole Martin Luther King speech with this link and ask the Lord to challenge you on this day of remembrance.
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mlkihaveadream.htm

Impromptu Hug

Sunday nights before church begins I walk in and sit on the floor by the pulpit with our little granddaughter. Last Sunday something incredible happened. I sat down as usual … she came toward me as usual… and then she reached her little arms out to me asking for a hug. We embraced at her desire. I let her go and she scampered over to her Mother. She caught my eye and did an instant replay. Her daddy is our unofficially adopted son brought to us by God. His life is a testimony of what Jesus can do with a life yielded to Him. My heart was on cloud nine…with her first little act of purposeful affection telling me through her action that she loves me. Months of love, hugs, smiles, soft words, and fun times brought her to the conclusion that she is loved and that she wanted to show her love back…and now she knows how to do that. It reminds me of many of us. God shows us His great love toward us. He has mercy upon us, He speaks our name, He offers forgiveness despite our sin, His love is beyond measure and is an “unspeakable gift” My granddaughter made a move toward me in faith and trust; we can move toward God in our daily life and circumstances based upon the knowledge of His genuine love toward us. How pleased God must be when we reach out toward Him in loving embrace. He knows that for us to take the risk means that we are coming to Him in trust and faith. Days later I'm still in awe.

Romans 5:8-9 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. KJV

The Gift of Ministry

Since my husband and I are Pastors it is sometimes hard to talk about ministry as gifts, but that is exactly what the Bible does in Ephesians chapter 4:8-16. Paul explains that Jesus gave the five fold ministry as gifts to the church. The truth is the Bible also lets it be known that the body of Christ is a gift to those in ministry. When ministry is operating properly it prepares the church for ministry both within and outside the box (church walls). There is sacrifice involved. Though many aspire to it because of seeming glamor they fall by the wayside when the real work is revealed...and when things get tough. You see the gift of ministry is more than a Sunday Service, shaking hands, and an occasional wedding or funeral. Some church goers have no idea what goes into a ministers life. Sometimes expections have nothing to do with Biblical mandates....but fall prey to man made ideas of what, when or how they should do something. One thing is for sure is since Jesus gave the gift we should not expect cookie cutter ministers and wives. We've been ministering in the same church for a long time and we don't have plans to leave, but I've been thinking about down the road when we either move on or retire. I've asked the Lord, "How can I prepare the people to accept the new pastors wife when she comes with her own gifts and talents?" I pastor along with my husband, preach and teach, lead cell groups ect. Yet should the Lord tarry, maybe the next wife will be a singer, maybe she'll be a business woman who can contribute to the setting up of the budget and other administrative tasks. My answer seems to be to see the worth and God given talent in our congregation and to show them both in teaching and in lifestyle the value of different gifts used for the Glory of God in the body of Christ. I'm not the typical singer, piano player, cookie baker, pastors wife....and they accepted me....so accpeting the Gift in season with all its personality and diversity should come naturally. The Gift may be different from other gifts, what stays the same is integrity and holiness unto the Lord. Ministry, my friend, is not about your apostles, prophets, evangelist, pastors and teachers doing everything....real ministry helps you to step into the game and do your part.

Praising in the car

My husband's sermon really got me thinking today. His series has been the Principles of Praise. Today he mentioned that he loves to praise in the car while he's taking care of business. When I'm in the car with him I enjoy the praise music or the Word tapes too. We have a different style of praise. For instance, I love to write to the Lord on the computer. To some people that wouldn't be praise at all...it would be hard work or a mess. My mother used to get up in the middle of the night and play the piano----I loved to listen to her...she'd really go at it and she talked with her fingers going over the keys....my fingers go over the keys too...only the typing keys. What is your favorite way to praise and come into the Lord's presence?

This isn't Pastor John....but when we get our video camera I'll tape him. I found this on Godtube with this guy singing in the car and I couldn't resist putting it up on the blog, If you have a special way you love to praise the lord and want to upload it to Godtube send me the link and we'll put it on the blog.

The Gift of Family can be challenging

Last night reminded me that there are times when the gift of family can be challenging. It is a challenge well worth the time. Family touches who you are, it touches your heart, it hurts like nothing other when there is a problem. I'm aware that some family situations are seemingly idealic while others are hellish. God's design for the family we find in Genesis is to be one of love and protection. The fall brought destruction, but through Christ we are renewed and can walk in the purposes of God. My husband had to remind me of that fact. Teenagers can sometimes be in a place where they think they know all and their parents are somewhere out in outer space. Day by Day I understand my parents better. I understand the joy of children and having placed the love of God in them, I understand the pain of hurtful remarks, and yes of even understanding where I've missed the mark. The voice of the Holy Spirit whispers my name telling me, "Words are important, remember how you felt at this stage in life!" He tells me it is not all about me.....I have a choice in my reaction. The Gift of family takes nourishment, it takes a willingness to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit and His Word. Are you in the midst of a painful family situation? You are not alone. Jesus can calm your anxiety, He can help you respond correctly.

The Gift of Family

I can hear some of you ohhhhhhing and ahhhhhhhhing while others cringe because of your bad experiences. The truth is God made families to be a blessing to one another. We know that sometimes families have real difficulty walking in that blessing, and we will deal with that reality in more detail later.

When I first held my firstborn in my arms it seemed like time had stopped and life was all about him and how my husband and I would be everything he needed to grow up feeling loved and accepted. What an overwhelming feeling it is to realize you have a little ones life in your hands. As my youngest is fininishing 12th grade that is still our aim. We were blessed to have both our families be a comfort through life's ups and downs. It might not have went that way without God. When I first married John it took some getting used to his family and how they did things. They are people with a plan and a purpose. Vacations were planned a year in advance with the proper tent sight laborously sought and found, the menu plan completed or at least talked about in detail, and the cookies divided evenly round the campfire. My family planned to plan on the way. Wow, can you imagine the planner guy marrying the girl from the plan as you go family? Now that is not to say we didn't plan anything...we always had food on the table and clothes on our back. Now we are a combination of both worlds taking the best and sometimes the worst of each extreem. One thing both my husband and my father have in commom is the fear of being late. As a child we would always be teh first to arrive, I prefer to be on time but no more than 10 minutes early. A family is a mix of emotions, opinions, lives, and God given destiny to be a comfort and blessing to the others. We contribute who we are to others. God didn't make a cookie cutter of Adam when he made Eve. Yes, he made the same species, but He allowed for differences. The blending of a famiy gives the proper atmosphere for children to learn to deal with situations outside with respect and concern. This subject is huge. YOu see we can attend church, know the proper language and activity of the church world, but miss out on realizing that proper family relationships are a spiritual matter. God spoke a wonderful word that shows that even those who feel like they have no one to call family can be included somehow somewhere in a human family that God prepares. Psalms 68:6" God sets the solitary in families;"NKJV

Have you ever felt out in the cold with no one who really cared or have you ever felt smotherd by a host of family members? Remember we humans are not perfect, but God will give us people for our lives. We cherish them for as long as they are here upon this earth. They are a gift that has a price tag far beyond the greatest amount of money.

The Gift of Love

The shortest verse in the Bible is "Jesus wept" Folks debate about why He wept. Some say it was because people didn't understand His purposes....others think it was simply because of His love for Mary, Martha and Lazarus. When I read glimpses’ about these sisters and brother and their association with Jesus I can't help but see the friendship that formed between them. Martha, the busy housekeeper, allowed Jesus to show her the need to smell the roses, and Mary felt comfortable enough to sit at His feet and listen as He taught about the Kingdom. John 11tells of Lazarus getting sick and finally dying....and the disappointment the sisters had...and best of all the Resurrection that occurred. The tears of Jesus shed near the grave of His friend reminds me that will all the millions of people that are on the earth, Jesus still loves me. The Bible tells us "For God so loved the Word, that He gave His only son that whosoever believeth on Him should have everlasting life" Love is not wrapped in a gift box topped with a pretty bow. Love is assurance that you matter to someone in this life. Many people struggle because they don't feel loved...they don't understand that Jesus loves with an everlasting love...the width, the length, and the dept of His love is unsearchable

The Gift of Life continued

Have you ever watched the famous Christmas movie called, "It's a Wonderful Life"? The main character finds himself in a state of depression wishing he'd never been born. The movie shows what life would have been like without him...and the many people who would have been negatively effected without his presence. No matter the circumstance of your birth you were no surprise to God. My mother planned me without my father's knowledge. They had two children already, a girl and a boy, yet she longed for one more. It took Dad awhile to get used to the idea because he felt as if he was getting too old for another child. David declared in Psalms 139 that God formed him in the womb. We can proclaim with him that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. Now 43 years later, Dad says he doesn't know what he'd do without me. Whether or not your family celebrates your birth, your exisitence on this earth, God has purpose for your life. We serve a God who is not pulling a cruel joke by giving us life. The Word says, that the plans of the Lord are good towards us. Perhaps your life doesn't seem like a gift to you right now. Debt, sorrow, and lost may cloud our vision. The Bible says that Jesus was a man of Sorrows aquainted with grief, He well understands us and the feelings we go through. When we think we are sinking he offers His hand to us just as He did to Peter.....He offers to lift us up and bring us to our purpose and a life worth living. You can make a difference with God's help to those around you. Your life is a gift and yes your life counts for eternity.

The Gift of LIfe

Life. A gift from God. Some of you remember the joy of being pregnant for the first time. The thoughts that went through your mind of bringing a precious life into existence. You realized that you were bringing a part of you that would continue upon this earth even after you die and go to be with the Lord. Nineteen years ago my firstborn came into the world on Mother's Day. He had an infection and had to stay on at the hospital for awhile but came home with no problems. He was my gift. Our second son was born two months prematurely at 3lbs 3 ounces. The doctors weren't optimistic about his chance of survival, but God had another gift in mind for our family. We chose to have children and so did God. God's crown creation is mankind. The Bible tells us in Genesis that we are made in his likeness. We were created with intelligence, with leadership qualities, and the desire to have fellowship with others like us. We have a yearning for God and for others. We all know that mankind sinned and as a result man is not in the same position we were in at creation. Yet we understand through God's grace that He has provided for our salvation through Jesus. One of my favorite verses shows that even in a fallen state God still loves to reach into the lives of his creation and do good things even in situations that seem hopeless. Jeremiah 29:11-121 "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope ."NKJV Life is a gift that is daily opened....and the choice of what to do with the gift is up to us. Walking in His wisdom brings about the absolute best result for a life worth living.

See you tomorrow

Seeing the Gifts of God in our lives

Have you ever heard the phrase, "you can't see the forest for the trees"? Recently a sincere young woman asked me, "Does God really give gifts, does he really care?". The obvious answer is of course He does, we have only to look around us to see His love and His gifts to us. Yet, if we are willing to admit it to ourselves we like this young lady have experienced times where "life" and all its trappings have caused us to miss the evidence of His love towards us. Burdened with job, bills, relationships, caring for our children, wonderings about our future and a myrid of other concerns can all be things that cause us to look towards the heavens and wonder if there really is a loving God who looks upon us with love and concern. In the month of January I'd like to examine the love of God and how we can see it and understand it in 2008. We'll use Scripture and also will welcome personal testimonies. Back to the "you can't see the forest for the trees" phrase----when we are focused on our problems our vantage point is limited. We miss other things all around us, things that could be of benefit to us if only we could redirect our vision. Let's allow 2008 be the year to lift our eyes toward heaven and see Him.

See you tomorrow...